In court for arson attack on Hemswell speed camera

A LORRY driver and his neighbour face jail after they admitted setting fire to a Hemswell Cliff speed camera to avoid a prosecution.

Anthony Luty, 28, came up with the plan after his lorry was caught doing 49mph on the A631 at Hemswell Cliff.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Luty was filmed at 4.30am on 17th October, last year, and realising he had been photographed asked his neighbour, Ashley Rowland, 23, to return to the site the next day and set fire to the camera. Rowland, who lived next door to Luty in Harlington, near Doncaster, went back alone to the scene at around 10pm on 18th October and carried out an arson attack on the device.

But the court was told police had already removed the film of Luty at 7am that day - making the purpose of the blaze pointless. Rowland, now of Adwick Road, Mexborough, and Luty, now of Hollowgate, Barnborough, Doncaster, both admitted arson when they appeared in the dock together. The prosecution dropped a second charge of intending to pervert the course of justic eas the evidence in the camera had already been removed.”

The pair have been bailed and will be sentenced in three weeks.

Judge Sean Morris told them: “You have been very well advised, but I am afraid damaging a speed camera in order to avoid conviction is an extremely serious matter.”

“If a custodial sentence did not follow it would just encourage others to do it.”

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